NYMPIIALID^. NYMPHALIN^. APATURA. 49 



form a conical beak nearly as long as the head, thickly clothed with short scales ; 

 the base beneath, the inner surface of the middle joint and the terminal half of the upper 

 surface, furnished with elongated hairs ; the basal joint very short ; second joint very long, 

 slender, and curved ; the third not longer than the basal joint, elongate-conic, pointed at the 

 tip. FoREWlNG, elongate-trigonate ; costal margin moderately arched ; apex subtruncate ; 

 outer margin more than two-thirds of the length of the costa, slightly scalloped, and more 

 or less emarginate in the middle ; inner margin nearly straight, a little longer than the outer 

 margin. Veins very strong. Costal nerviire extending to the length of two-thirds of the costa 

 from the base ; subcostal nervure with the first branch arising a little before the anterior 

 extremity of the discoidal cell ; second branch arising at one-third of the length of the wing, 

 just before or exactly at the extremity of the cell ; third branch arising just beyond the middle 

 of the wing, and extending to the apex ; fourth branch arising at four-fifths of the length of 

 the wing. Upper disco-cellular nervule obsolete, middle arising at the anterior extremity of the 

 discoidal cell, at the distance of one-third of the length of the wing from the base, very short, 

 and forming the curved base of the lower discoidal nervule ; lower obsolete, so that the 

 discoidal cell is open. Hindwing, triangular-ovate ; the apex more or less elongated ; outer 

 margin scalloped ; inner margin deeply grooved to receive the abdomen, with a deep sinus 

 between the body and the anal angle. Fmcostal nervure strongly curved, its extremity direct- 

 ed outwards from the body ; subcostal nervure branched at a short distance from its base. 

 Discoidal cell not closed, the lozuer disco-cellular nervule being obsolete. Forelegs, of the 

 male very short and slender, clothed with delicate white hairs ; tibia shorter than the femur ; 

 tarsus about two-thirds of the length of the tibia, very slender, and, when denuded of its 

 hairs, four-jointed ; the joints not indicated by short spines, and the apical joint very minute, 

 simple, and destitute of apical claws. Of the female very slender and scaly ; femur within 

 clothed with short white flossy hairs ; tarsus two-thirds of the length of the tibia, nearly 

 cylindrical, suboblique at the tip, and articulated, with short spines beneath, indicating the 

 joints. Middle and hindlegs, moderately long, scaly ; tibia: and tarsi finely spined beneath. 

 Tibia of the middle legs shorter than the femora ; those of the hind legs equal to them in length ; 

 tibial spurs short. Claws, paronychia and pulvillus of moderate size." 



" Larva naked, gradually attenuated behind ; the head armed with two spines, and the 

 tail with two obtuse points. Pupa compressed at the sides ; the back carinated, and the head 

 bifid." (^IVestzvood, 1. c.) This diagnosis does not apply to the Rohana group. 



According to the law of strict priority the name Potamis, Hiibner, should probably be 

 applied to the genus, as pointed out by Mr. Scudder in his " Historical Sketch of the Generic 

 Names proposed for Butterflies," but I have followed previous writers in retaining the well-known 

 name Apalura for it. Mr. Distant remarks on the subject (Rhop. Malay., p. 100) that : — "By 

 the name Apatura I allude to the genus as hitherto almost universally understood, and not as 

 recently applied by Messrs. Scudder and Moore to species of Hypolimnas. Where an earlier 

 generic name is clearly found to have priority the law should unhesitatingly be applied ; but 

 where a certain amount of doubt exists, and the evidence is not convincing, the name generally 

 used should remain unchanged," 



Typical species, such as Apatura iris, the " Purple Emperor" of Europe, are amongst 

 the most beautiful of butterflies, the males being furnished on the upperside with a resplen- 

 dant purple or blue gloss, which feature the females more or less lack. Of this group A, 

 namouna of Northern India is a worthy representative. A. sordida is a plain brown insect 

 in both sexes, with a discal white band and spots beyond on the forewing, presenting, 

 especially in the female, a great resemblance to some species oi Lethe, A, parvata is also brown 

 with some obscure paler markings ; the sexes alike. A. chmana is a very remarkable species, 

 alike in both sexes ; on the underside it is a typical Apatura of the namouna group, but on the 

 upperside is a wonderful mimic of a white-spotted and banded A thy ma. A. parysatis and A. 

 camiba are deep purple-black above, the females being coloured somewhat like A. parvata, but 

 generally resembling species of the genus Ergolis, which they may mimic. Females of all the 

 species are rare, the males are more commonly met with in India, chiefly owing to their habit 



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